By: Jonathan K. Martin | WV Sports Chat
As the West Virginia Mountaineers prepare for the upcoming 2025 college football season, set to kick off in just eleven days, uncertainty surrounds the eligibility of several key players, including standout pass-rusher Jimmori Robinson.
According to a report from WV Metro News, U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey has yet to issue a ruling on the eligibility of four WVU football players, including Robinson.
The case, Jimmori Robinson et al v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, was heard in the Northern District Court of West Virginia, but no decision was made during Tuesday’s hearing. However, an NCAA lawyer dropped a bombshell during the proceedings, asserting that Robinson, a highly touted transfer from UTSA, is academically ineligible due to insufficient progress toward graduation requirements from his time with the Roadrunners.
“We were aware of an academic situation, but at this point in time, the only thing I’m going to tell you is my daddy told me a long time ago there was never a sheet of paper cut so thin it didn’t have two sides,” James “Rocky” Gianola told Metro News. He, alongside his nephew John Gianola, are representing the four players.
Per WV Metro News, Judge Bailey’s office has confirmed that the matter remains under advisement, and it’s unknown when a ruling is expected. The NCAA, represented by Charleston-based attorneys Ben Bailey and Christopher Smith, appears firm in its stance, but the plaintiffs’ legal team may yet present counterarguments. For now, WVU fans can only wait, hopeful that their star players will be cleared to compete.
The 2025 season opener is scheduled for August 30 against Robert Morris, and the Mountaineers’ performance this season could hinge on this eligibility saga.
